Another xDrive thread (with video)

Falafel Combo · 01-29-2013, 02:12 PM

We got about 3 inches of snow the other day, so I decided to do a quick xDrive test-run with my new f30 and shot this video. By the time I took this video there had to be about 1.5-2 inches of snow/ice on the ground already.

I did a couple of things here for my very UN-scientific test:

1. I went up this hill and came to a full stop half way up.

2. I then accelerated from my full stop with a decent throttle push, up to about 20 mph. No problem whatsoever.

3. I then came to to a full stop again. Turned the traction off and accelerated again for the remainder of the incline with a good throttle push. Maybe reached 10mph. The car definitely hesitated upon launch the second time, but got moving with no problem. No slipping and sliding. You can see the DSC lights come on a couple of times towards the end of the video.

4. I was intentionally avoiding the 'plowed' parts of the road. I was trying to get stuck or loose traction.

This was very slippery, despite not having a ton of snow on the ground. There were a lot of cars (like this Acura TL here) on the side of the road, or at the bottom of a hill, struggling (un-successfully) to get up.

More than anything, it just feels great to be back in an xDrive. It gives you this non-tangible, yet un-mistakable sense of confidence in inclement weather like this. You just really don't care. It's that same sort of confidence you feel in a BMW, taking a hard corner on a warm summer day. It just feels solid, like a tank.

chrisny · 01-29-2013, 02:20 PM

Awesome. Which tires do you have? Snow started after I got to work and roads were clear by the time I left, so no fun for me...

Falafel Combo · 01-29-2013, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisny

Awesome. Which tires do you have? Snow started after I got to work and roads were clear by the time I left, so no fun for me...

I have the Pirelli all seasons. 225/45/18 all around and 400m rims.

I'm sure there are yet a few storms in store for you this season. It's not even February yet.

bnekic · 01-29-2013, 02:35 PM

I agree the xDrive is a must especially if you live in an area with winter. I also have the Pirelli all-seasons and they work great.

chrisny · 01-29-2013, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORALLROT

I have the Pirelli all seasons. 225/45/18 all around and 400m rims.

I'm sure there are yet a few storms in store for you this season. It's not even February yet.

Cool. I have the same. Barely got to test them on one back road that hadn't really been cleared but the tires did well there.

I bought a winter set up for my wife's X3 because I wasn't happy with the way the good year all seasons stopped in snow. So my guess is it won't snow again all year lol.

Honker · 01-29-2013, 03:02 PM

Since the beginning of October, we have gotten 36 inches of snow. This translates to only 16.5 inches "on the ground". I got this from a weather archive website. I am guessing that "On the ground" must mean what the depth of snow actually is compacted on the ground, but I am not sure.

All I know is a 335 xdrive with Pirelli Sottozero II snow tires is hard to beat. I do find that our last car, a 328 xdrive with Blizzak LM-22s had better ice traction. The Pirelli tires aren't bad, but I think the Blizzaks were better. However they are not available in the right size.

For my area, 6 to 7 months of crappy roads a year, the xdrive + snow tires makes sense.

f30nynj · 01-29-2013, 03:16 PM

I went with a group of friends to a cottage for long weekend upstate.

3 of the 4 cars couldn't make it up to the cottage and had to be parked 300yards away due to ice on road.

Whereas my f30 just breezed thru, shuttling luggage & food from other cars. Pretty much everyone was curious how my car could do it.

I said its just BMW.

SPACEMANRICK · 01-29-2013, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORALLROT

I have the Pirelli all seasons. 225/45/18 all around and 400m rims.

I'm sure there are yet a few storms in store for you this season. It's not even February yet.

I have the same Pirelli all seasons on my car and have also been impressed with them. We have had only 2 days of snow here in Vancouver this year but on one of those days I was parked on a 20 degree hill on 2" of fresh snow and I easily accelerated up from a stop with absoultely no wheel spin

chrisny · 01-29-2013, 04:21 PM

This is good news. I've read some bad reviews of the Pirelli's on here too, so hoping those are just from people expecting too much from their tires.. Even true winter tires, while they have distinct advantages in cold and snowy, icy weather, can only do so much.

SPACEMANRICK · 01-29-2013, 05:26 PM

There is no doubt that the Pirelli all season tires are not as good as dedicated winter tires in the snow but with all wheel drive and common sense they are more than enough for anything but the most extreme of conditions.

Heck did you read about the clown on this forum that said he did fine with rear wheel drive and summer tires going up the ski hill........

addm · 01-29-2013, 05:59 PM

I know some people say RWD with good snow tires is good enough and it is truth to a good extent.
However you cannot enjoy snow driving unless you have xdrive/awd. You can be more confident that you will not stuck.
I experiment all the time whether my xdrive will go up the steep incline in snow which I will unlikely to do in RWD setup.

Ron Scott · 01-30-2013, 08:29 AM

Great vid, thanks. xDrive 335 with Pirellis here too and am also impressed with handling in ALL road conditions. That upgrade's a no-brainier...

01-29-2013, 02:12 PM	#1
Falafel Combo Banned 3773 Rep 6,673 Posts Drives: X5 xDrive50i Join Date: May 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (3)	Another xDrive thread (with video) We got about 3 inches of snow the other day, so I decided to do a quick xDrive test-run with my new f30 and shot this video. By the time I took this video there had to be about 1.5-2 inches of snow/ice on the ground already. I did a couple of things here for my very UN-scientific test: 1. I went up this hill and came to a full stop half way up. 2. I then accelerated from my full stop with a decent throttle push, up to about 20 mph. No problem whatsoever. 3. I then came to to a full stop again. Turned the traction off and accelerated again for the remainder of the incline with a good throttle push. Maybe reached 10mph. The car definitely hesitated upon launch the second time, but got moving with no problem. No slipping and sliding. You can see the DSC lights come on a couple of times towards the end of the video. 4. I was intentionally avoiding the 'plowed' parts of the road. I was trying to get stuck or loose traction. This was very slippery, despite not having a ton of snow on the ground. There were a lot of cars (like this Acura TL here) on the side of the road, or at the bottom of a hill, struggling (un-successfully) to get up. More than anything, it just feels great to be back in an xDrive. It gives you this non-tangible, yet un-mistakable sense of confidence in inclement weather like this. You just really don't care. It's that same sort of confidence you feel in a BMW, taking a hard corner on a warm summer day. It just feels solid, like a tank. Last edited by Falafel Combo; 01-29-2013 at 03:03 PM..
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01-29-2013, 02:20 PM	#2
chrisny Brigadier General 547 Rep 3,307 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 40i Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Awesome. Which tires do you have? Snow started after I got to work and roads were clear by the time I left, so no fun for me...
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01-29-2013, 02:35 PM	#4
bnekic First Lieutenant 20 Rep 371 Posts Drives: 2013 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Cleveland, OH iTrader: (1)	I agree the xDrive is a must especially if you live in an area with winter. I also have the Pirelli all-seasons and they work great.
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01-29-2013, 03:02 PM	#6
Honker New Member 3 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2013 335 xdrive Sportline Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Saskatchewan iTrader: (0)	Since the beginning of October, we have gotten 36 inches of snow. This translates to only 16.5 inches "on the ground". I got this from a weather archive website. I am guessing that "On the ground" must mean what the depth of snow actually is compacted on the ground, but I am not sure. All I know is a 335 xdrive with Pirelli Sottozero II snow tires is hard to beat. I do find that our last car, a 328 xdrive with Blizzak LM-22s had better ice traction. The Pirelli tires aren't bad, but I think the Blizzaks were better. However they are not available in the right size. For my area, 6 to 7 months of crappy roads a year, the xdrive + snow tires makes sense.
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01-29-2013, 03:16 PM	#7
f30nynj Chilling 83 Rep 320 Posts Drives: 2017 F25 X3 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: NY/NJ iTrader: (1)	I went with a group of friends to a cottage for long weekend upstate. 3 of the 4 cars couldn't make it up to the cottage and had to be parked 300yards away due to ice on road. Whereas my f30 just breezed thru, shuttling luggage & food from other cars. Pretty much everyone was curious how my car could do it. I said its just BMW. __________________ 2017 F25 X3 -> Current 2016 F10 535 -> SOLD 2014 F30 -> SOLD 2013 F30 -> SOLD 2007 E90 -> SOLD
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01-29-2013, 04:21 PM	#9
chrisny Brigadier General 547 Rep 3,307 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 40i Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	This is good news. I've read some bad reviews of the Pirelli's on here too, so hoping those are just from people expecting too much from their tires.. Even true winter tires, while they have distinct advantages in cold and snowy, icy weather, can only do so much.
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01-29-2013, 05:26 PM	#10
SPACEMANRICK Lieutenant 51 Rep 551 Posts Drives: 2016 M3 6 speed manual Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	There is no doubt that the Pirelli all season tires are not as good as dedicated winter tires in the snow but with all wheel drive and common sense they are more than enough for anything but the most extreme of conditions. Heck did you read about the clown on this forum that said he did fine with rear wheel drive and summer tires going up the ski hill........
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01-29-2013, 05:59 PM	#11
addm Enlisted Member 3 Rep 31 Posts Drives: 2013 328i xdrive sportline Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	I know some people say RWD with good snow tires is good enough and it is truth to a good extent. However you cannot enjoy snow driving unless you have xdrive/awd. You can be more confident that you will not stuck. I experiment all the time whether my xdrive will go up the steep incline in snow which I will unlikely to do in RWD setup.
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01-30-2013, 08:29 AM	#12
Ron Scott Captain 87 Rep 632 Posts Drives: 2013 335 M Sport Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Long Island iTrader: (0)	Great vid, thanks. xDrive 335 with Pirellis here too and am also impressed with handling in ALL road conditions. That upgrade's a no-brainier...
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